Thin film formation method by ink jet method, ink jet apparatus, production method of organic EL device, and organic EL device

ABSTRACT

A method of forming a thin film by an ink jet method including the step of discharging a liquid containing thin film-forming materials and a solvent from liquid discharge ports to each position on a substrate while the liquid discharge ports are being moved relatively to the substrate, characterized in that subsequent droplets are arranged while a solvent vapor evaporating from droplets arranged previously on the substrate are compulsively removed from inside the substrate surface.

This is a Divisional of application Ser. No. 09/820,650 filed Mar. 30,2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,097. The entire disclosure of the priorapplication is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to a thin film formation method by an ink jetmethod, an ink jet apparatus, a production method of an organic EL(electro-luminescence) device, and an organic EL device.

2. Description of Related Art

An organic EL display including organic EL devices (light emittingdevice having a light emitting layer made of an organic materialinterposed between an anode and a cathode) so arranged as to correspondto pixels has been rapidly developed in recent years as a spontaneouslight emitting display that will replace current liquid crystaldisplays. Materials of the light emitting layer of the organic EL devicecan include aluminum quinolynol complexes (Alq3) andpoly(paraphenylene)vinylene (PPV) as an organic material having a highmolecular weight.

As disclosed in “Appl. Phys. Lett.” 51(12), 21 Sep., 1987, 913, it isknown to form a film of a light emitting layer made of an organicmaterial having a low molecular weight by vacuum evaporation. Anotherreference, “Appl. Phys. Lett.” 71(1), 7 Jul., 1997, p.34 et seq.describes the film formation of a light emitting layer made of anorganic material having a high molecular weight.

In organic EL devices for display, it is necessary to form an anode ateach pixel position on a substrate and to dispose a light emitting layeron each anode. If the arrangement of the light emitting layer can beperformed by an ink jet method, precise patterning can be made within ashort time because application and patterning can be conductedsimultaneously. Moreover, since the amount of materials to be used isthat which is minimum necessary, the materials can be used without wasteand the production cost can be lowered.

To arrange the light emitting layer by an ink jet method, it isnecessary to use a material in the liquid form. When a polymer materialsuch as PPV is used as the material of the light emitting layer, thearrangement can be made by the ink jet method if a precursor solution ofthe polymer material is used. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos.11-40358, 11-54270 and 11-339957 teach to arrange a light emitting layermade of a PPV type polymer material in accordance with the ink jetmethod.

As shown in FIG. 1A, in the liquid arrangement by the conventional inkjet method, an ink jet head 2 smaller than a substrate 1, for example,is employed. The inside of the surface of the substrate 1 is so dividedinto a plurality of regions 11 to 15 as to correspond to the length ofrows of nozzles 3 of the head 2. The liquid is serially discharged fromthe nozzles 3 of the head 2 while the substrate 1 or the head 2 is beingmoved.

According to this method, however, when a solvent of the liquid to bedischarged is a solvent having a large density, a solvent vaporevaporating from droplets is likely to stay inside the substratesurface. When a droplet A having an early arrangement order on thesubstrate is compared with a droplet B having a late arrangement order,for example, as shown in FIG. 1B, the droplet B having a latearrangement order is discharged in an atmosphere in which the partialpressure of the solvent vapor is high. As a result, a drying rate of thedroplet B is lower than that of the droplet A. The droplet A arrangedpreviously, too, is affected by the solvent vapor staying inside thesubstrate surface and in some cases, it is again dissolved after dryingor its drying rate becomes lower.

Therefore, when a solution prepared by dissolving a plurality of polymermaterials having mutually different molecular weight or polarity in asolvent having a large density is arranged on the substrate by theconventional ink jet method, the droplets having a low drying rate arelikely to result in a thin film in which a plurality of polymermaterials are in the phase separation state. When the drying rates ofthe droplets are different inside the substrate surface, the conditionof the resultant thin film becomes different depending on the positioninside the substrate surface.

As described above, when the conventional ink jet method is employed toarrange the light emitting layer in the organic EL display, luminance islikely to vary inside and among pixels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the problems with the conventional technologies, the presentinvention is directed to obtain a thin film having high uniformityinside a substrate surface even when a solvent of a liquid to bedischarged has a large density in a formation method of a thin film byan ink jet method.

In a method of forming a thin film by an ink jet method including thestep of discharging a liquid containing thin film-forming materials anda solvent from liquid discharge ports to each position on a substratewhile the liquid discharge ports are being moved relatively to thesubstrate, the present invention provides a thin film formation methodby an ink jet method characterized in that subsequent droplets arearranged while a solvent vapor evaporating from droplets arrangedpreviously on the substrate is compulsively removed from inside thesubstrate surface.

In a method of forming a thin film by an ink jet method including thestep of discharging a liquid containing thin film-forming materials anda solvent from liquid discharge ports to each position on a substratewhile the liquid discharge ports are being moved relatively to thesubstrate, the present invention provides a thin film formation methodby an ink jet method characterized in that a solvent vapor evaporatingfrom droplets arranged previously on the substrate is compulsivelyremoved from inside the substrate surface immediately after thearrangement of the droplets.

The present invention further provides an ink jet apparatus includinggas blowing means for blowing a gas to a surface of a liquid dischargedsurface on which droplets have already been arranged.

The present invention provides a thin film formation method by an inkjet method including the steps of moving relatively liquid dischargeports with respect to a substrate, discharging a liquid containing thinfilm-forming materials and a solvent to each position of the substratefrom the liquid discharge ports and arranging successively droplets atpositions on the substrate. The present invention further has a featurein that a solvent vapor evaporating from the droplets arrangedpreviously is compulsively removed from inside the substrate andsubsequent droplets are arranged.

Accordingly, even when the solvent of the liquid to be discharged has alarge density, the method described above prevents the solvent vaporevaporating from the droplets arranged previously on the substrate fromstaying inside the substrate surface. Consequently, the liquid atpositions of a late arrangement order can be discharged at a low partialvapor pressure of the solvent. A solvent having a large density is, forexample, cyclohexylbenzene, tetralin, tetramethylbenzene, dodecylbenzeneor diethylbenzene.

In this way, it becomes possible to prevent a drying rate of thedroplets at the positions of the late arrangement order from becominglower than that of the droplets at positions of the early arrangementorder. It also becomes possible to prevent the droplets at positions ofthe early arrangement order from being re-melt after drying, and toprevent the drying rate of such droplets from being retarded. Since thedelay of the drying rate of the droplets can thus be prevented,formation of a thin film, in which a plurality of polymer materialshaving different molecular weight and different polarity exist in aphase separation state, can be prevented even when a solution in whichsuch polymer materials are dissolved in a solvent having a great densityis used as a discharging liquid.

In a thin film formation method by an ink jet method including the stepsof discharging a solution containing the thin film-forming materials andthe solvent from liquid discharge ports to each position of a substratewhile the liquid discharge ports are being moved relatively to thesubstrate, and thus arranging serially a droplet at each position of thesubstrate, the present invention has another feature in that a solventvapor evaporating from the droplets arranged on the substrate arecompulsively removed from inside the substrate surface immediately afterthe arrangement of the droplets.

According to this method, the solvent vapor evaporating from the dropletarranged on the substrate rapidly becomes absent inside the substratesurface. Therefore, the droplet previously arranged is prevented frombeing affected by the solvent vapor evaporating from the dropletarranged subsequently. Thus, the difference of the drying condition canbe reduced between the droplet arranged previously and the dropletarranged subsequently.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the solvent vapor ispreferably removed by blowing a gas to the substrate surface. Thismethod can effectively remove the solvent vapor even when the solvent ofthe liquid to be discharged is a solvent that has a large density and islikely to stay inside the substrate surface. The gas used for thismethod must be the one that does not react with the liquid to bedischarged. Preferably, an inert gas, such as an argon gas or a nitrogengas, is used.

In the embodiment of the method of the present invention describedabove, the gas is preferably blown always to the substrate surface onthe rear side of the liquid discharge ports (on the rear side of therelative traveling direction of the liquid discharge port to thesubstrate) while the droplet is arranged at any position on thesubstrate.

When the substrate surface is divided into a plurality of belt-likeregions in a certain direction, for example, and when the droplets arearranged while the liquid discharge ports are being moved relatively inthe same direction in each of the regions, the method described abovecan compulsively remove the solvent vapor from the droplets of theregions, where the arrangement of the droplets are now being arranged,and can prevent the solvent vapor from flowing to the regions where thedroplets are to be arranged subsequently and to the regions where thedroplets have already been arranged. As a result, the drying conditionof the droplet at each position inside the substrate surface can berendered uniform.

The present invention further provides an ink jet apparatus includinggas blowing means for blowing a gas to a surface of a liquid dischargedsurface on which droplets have already been arranged. This ink jetapparatus can easily perform the methods of the present invention.

In an ink jet apparatus according to one embodiment of the presentinvention, a gas blowing device has a tubular gas blowing part having aplurality of gas blowing holes formed in a longitudinal direction. It ispreferable that this tube be fixed to an ink jet head having a liquiddischarge port and its fixing position is on the rear side in therelative traveling direction to the surface of the ink jet to which theliquid is to be discharged.

In an embodiment of the ink jet apparatus according to the presentinvention, a gas blowing part is disposed in the proximity of the liquiddischarge port, and is preferably constructed in such a fashion as toblow the gas at an angle of 30° to 60° to a perpendicular direction onthe rear side of a relative traveling direction of the ink jet head tothe surface of the liquid jet surface.

In one embodiment of the ink jet apparatus according to the presentinvention, the length of the gas blowing region in the longitudinaldirection of the tube is preferably at least twice the size of theliquid jet surface in the longitudinal direction of the tube, and an inkjet head is preferably disposed at the center of the gas blowing regionof the tube in its longitudinal direction.

In one embodiment of the ink jet apparatus according to the presentinvention, the tube is fixed also on the front side in the relativetraveling direction of the ink jet head to the liquid dischargedsurface.

The present invention further provides a production method of an organicEL device for forming a thin film constituting an organic EL device byusing the thin film formation method of the ink jet method according tothe present invention, or by using the ink jet apparatus according tothe present invention, and an organic EL device produced by this method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in detail with reference to the followingfigures, wherein like numerals reference like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view 1A for explaining liquid arrangement methods by anink jet method corresponding to a first embodiment of the presentinvention and to a conventional method, and a plan view 1B forexplaining a difference of conditions of thin films depending onpositions of droplets;

FIG. 2 is a graph showing a fluorescent spectrum of a thin film formedby arranging droplets by the method of the first embodiment, at bothpositions corresponding to droplets A and B in FIG. 1B;

FIG. 3 is a graph showing a fluorescent spectrum of a thin film formedby arranging droplets by the conventional method, at a positioncorresponding to the droplet A in FIG. 1B;

FIG. 4 is a graph showing a fluorescent spectrum of a thin film formedby arranging droplets by the conventional method, at a positioncorresponding to the droplet B in FIG. 1B;

FIG. 5 is a plan view for explaining a method according to a secondembodiment;

FIG. 6 is a side view for explaining an ink jet apparatus for use in themethod according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a plan view for explaining an ink jet apparatus for use in themethod according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a plan view for explaining an ink jet apparatus for use in themethod according to the second embodiment;

FIGS. 9A-9D are schematic views for explaining an example (thirdembodiment) where the thin film formation method according to the inkjet method of the present invention is applied to a production method ofan organic EL device;

FIG. 10 is a graph showing an examination result between a drivingvoltage and luminance of an organic EL device, wherein curve arepresents the result obtained by the method of the third embodiment andcurve b represents the result by a method of a comparative example;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the ink jetapparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing still another embodiment of theink jet apparatus according to the present invention; and

FIG. 13 is schematic view showing in enlargement a portion of gasblowout holes of a gas flow tube shown in FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A thin film formation method by an ink jet method corresponding to thefirst embodiment of the present invention will be explained. As shown inFIG. 1A, this method uses an ink jet head 2 that is smaller than asubstrate 1. The head 2 is disposed over a surface of the substrate 1. Aliquid is discharged from rows of nozzles 3 (liquid discharge ports)arranged at lower part of the head 2. The surface of the rectangularsubstrate 1 is divided into a plurality of belt-like regions 11 to 15 ina direction X of a major side of a rectangle in such a manner as tocorrespond to the length of the rows of nozzles 3 of the head 2.

While the substrate 1 is being moved to the right (the directionindicated by arrow X1) in the major side direction X, the liquid isdischarged from the rows of the nozzles 3 of the head 2 for each region11 to 15 from the right end to the left end of the substrate 1 so thatdroplet of a liquid 4 can be arranged at each position of the substrate1. The head 2 moves to the left (the direction indicated by arrow XZ)relative to the substrate 1.

After the arrangement of the droplet in one region is thus finished,nitrogen is blown at a rate of 0.1 MPa to the surface of the substrate 1in this region so that the solvent vapor evaporating from the droplets 4arranged on the substrate 1 can be compulsively removed from inside thesurface of the substrate 1. Subsequently, the bead 2 is moved in theminor side direction Y of the rectangle forming the substrate 1 and thesubstrate 1 is moved to the left X2, thereby positioning the head 2 tothe right end (jet starting position) of the next region. When thisoperation is repeated, the arrangement of the droplets 4 and the removalof the solvent vapor can be conducted from the region 11 to the region15.

In the method of this embodiment, while the solvent vapor evaporatingfrom the droplets arranged previously on the substrate 1 arecompulsively removed from inside the substrate surface, subsequentdroplets are arranged in the unit of each region 11 to 15.

The liquid used in this embodiment can be prepared by dissolving 10g/liter of a mixture of the compounds 1, 2 and 3 expressed by thefollowing chemical formulas (1) to (3) in a weight ratio of0.76:0.2:0.04 in a cyclohexylbenzene. This mixture is a material forforming a green light emitting layer of the organic EL device.

According to the method of this embodiment, the arrangement of thedroplets 4 in each region is conducted after the solvent vapor in apreceding region is removed. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1B, the dropletB having a late arrangement order can be arranged onto the substrate inan atmosphere having a low partial pressure of the solvent vapor in thesame way as the droplet A having an early arrangement order. Therefore,either droplets A and B have a high drying rate, and phase separationdoes not occur in the resultant thin film obtained by conductingheat-treatment after drying.

An example of the present invention is now described with reference toFIG. 2. Droplets were arranged in accordance with the method of thefirst embodiment, and a thin film was formed. Next, a fluorescentspectrum was measured for the thin film at each position correspondingto each of the droplets A and B in FIG. 1B. As a result, the samefluorescent spectrum shown in FIG. 2 could be obtained at the positionsof both droplets A and B. In the graph shown in FIG. 2, only one largepeak having a center wavelength at 515 nm appeared. It could beunderstood that either droplets A and B were dried under the state wherephase separation did not occur.

As a comparative example, the compulsive removal of the solvent vapor byblowing nitrogen was not conducted after the arrangement of the dropletin each region and the droplets 4 were consecutively arranged from theregion 11 to the region 15 with the other procedures being the same asthose of the first embodiment. When the fluorescent spectrum wasmeasured for the resultant thin film at each position corresponding toeach of the droplets A and B in FIG. 1B, the spectrum shown in FIG. 3could be obtained at the position of the droplet A, and the fluorescentspectrum shown in FIG. 4, at the position of the droplet B.

As shown, in the graph shown in FIG. 3, small peaks appeared at 420 nmand 475 nm besides the peak of the center wavelength at 515 nm. It couldthus be understood that the droplet A was dried under the state wherephase separation occurred. In the graph shown in FIG. 4, the peakintensity at the center wavelength of 515 nm was low, the peak intensityat 475 nm was approximate to the former, and a peak having a highintensity appeared at 420 nm. This result indicated that the droplet Bwas dried under the state where phase separation occurred.

Accordingly, it can be understood from the description given above thatthe method of this embodiment can obtain a thin film free from theoccurrence of phase separation at the position having an earlyarrangement order and at the position having a late arrangement order.

A thin film formation method by the ink jet method corresponding to thesecond embodiment of the present invention will be explained. FIG. 5 isa plan view for explaining the method of this embodiment. FIG. 6 is aside view for explaining an ink jet apparatus for use in the method ofthis embodiment. This method uses an ink jet head 2 that is smaller thana substrate 1 in the same way as in the first embodiment. The head 2 isdisposed over the surface of the substrate 1, and a liquid is dischargedfrom rows of a nozzles 3 (liquid discharge ports) disposed at a lowerpart of the head 2. The surface of the substrate 1 is divided into aplurality of regions in such a manner as to correspond to the length ofthe nozzle rows 3 of the head 2 in the same way as in the firstembodiment. A liquid is discharged serially from the nozzle rows 3 ineach region while the substrate 1 is being moved in the same way as inthe first embodiment.

However, unlike the first embodiment, this method uses an ink jetapparatus having a gas flow tube 5 fixed to the ink jet head 2, anddischarges the liquid while a gas is always blown out from this tube 5.

As shown in FIG. 6, the ink jet head 2 comprises an upper member 21 anda lower member 22. The lower member 22 has a planar shape smaller thanthat of the upper member 21, and incorporates therein a nozzle 31, andthe like. The gas blow tube 5 is fixed to the rear end surface of theupper member 21. The rear end surface of the upper member 21 correspondsto the rear side of the relative traveling direction X2 of the ink jethead 2.

A large number of gas blowout holes 51 are uniformly formed at equaldistances and arranged into line on the peripheral surface of the tube 5throughout its longitudinal direction in the longitudinal direction ofthe tube 5. One of the ends of the tube 5 is closed with the other beingconnected to a nitrogen gas feed pipe. The tube (gas blowing part) 5,the nitrogen gas feed pipe, etc, together constitute a gas blowingapparatus for blowing the gas to the upper surface (liquid dischargedsurface) of the substrate 1.

The length of the tube 5 (the length of the gas blowing region) can betwice the size of the substrate 1 in the minor side direction Y. Thehead 2 is disposed at the center of the tube 5 in its longitudinaldirection. The tube 5 is fixed to the head 2 in such a fashion that thelongitudinal direction of the tube 5 is parallel to the nozzle rows 3and the angle θ (with the X1 side being positive) of the gas blowoutholes 51 to the perpendicular direction Z is 45°.

Therefore, this ink jet apparatus can blow out the gas from the tube 5to the entire part of the substrate 1 in the minor axis direction Y atwhichever position of the substrate 1 the head 2 may be positioned.

In the method of this embodiment, the solvent vapor evaporating from thedroplets 4 arranged on the substrate 1 are blown away by the gas blownout from the tube 5 immediately after the droplets 4 are arranged, andare removed towards the traveling direction X1 of the substrate 1. Thegas is always blown from the tube 5 to the surface of the substrate 1 inthe regions other than the region in which the droplets are beingarranged. Consequently, the solvent vapor blown away by the gas does notflow towards the regions in which the droplets are to subsequently bearranged and in the regions in which they have already been arranged.

According to the method of this embodiment, therefore, the previouslyarranged droplets are prevented from being affected by the solvent vaporevaporating from the subsequently arranged droplets, so that thepreviously arranged droplets and the subsequently arranged droplets aredried under the same condition.

In another example, hereinafter referred to as Example Z-1, a thin filmwas formed by arranging droplets 4 in the whole region on a substrate 1in accordance with the method of the second embodiment by using the sameliquid as that of the first embodiment. The example was conducted withthe following arrangement conditions:

-   -   distance L between lower surface of head 2 and substrate 1: 0.6        mm    -   distance W between tube 5 and center of nozzle 31 nearest to        tube 5: 10 mm difference T of height between center of sectional        circle of tube 5 and lower surface of head 2: 10 mm    -   diameter (inner diameter) of tube 5: 2 mm    -   diameter of gas blowout hole 51: 1 mm    -   distance between centers of adjacent gas blowout holes 51: 2 mm    -   blowout pressure of nitrogen: 0.1 MPa

As a result, phase separation did not occur in the resultant film in thewhole region of the substrate 1.

In another example, the angle θ of the gas blowout holes 51 to theperpendicular direction Z was changed to −45°, 0°, 30°, 45° and 60°. Anargon gas was used in place of the nitrogen gas and the blowout pressureof the argon gas was set to 0.175 MPa. With the exceptions of thesepoints, the droplets 4 were arranged in the whole region on thesubstrate 1 to form a thin film in the same way as in example 1.

As a result, phase separation did not occur in the resultant thin filmin the whole region of the substrate 1 when the angle θ was θ=30°, θ=45°and θ=60°. Clogging of the nozzles 31 did not occur, either. Whenθ=−45°, clogging of the nozzles 31 occurred during discharging of theliquid. This was presumably because the argon gas was blown to the lowersurface of the head 2 and the liquid inside the nozzles 31 was dried. Asthe argon gas was blown, the liquid discharged from the nozzles 31 fellto obliquely forward positions but not in the perpendicular direction.

When θ=0°, clogging of the nozzles 31 did not occur. As to the conditionof the resultant thin film, phase separation did not occur at theposition of the droplet A in FIG. 1B but did occur at the position ofthe droplet B.

When θ=90°, clogging of the nozzles 31 did not occur. As to thecondition of the resultant thin film, phase separation did not occur atthe position of the droplet A in FIG. 1B but did occur at the positionof the droplet B. The degree of this phase separation was substantiallyequal to the degree when the droplets 4 were arranged without blowingthe gas.

It could be understood from the result of this example that the ink jetapparatus for use in the method of the present invention most preferablyhad the construction in which, when the gas flow tube (gas blowing part)5 was disposed in the proximity of the nozzle (liquid discharge ports)31, the tube 5 was disposed on the rear side of the relative travelingdirection X2 of the ink jet head 2 to the substrate (liquid dischargedsurface) 1 in such a fashion as to blow the gas at an angle of 30° to60° to the perpendicular direction Z. This ink jet apparatus couldprovide an excellent solvent removing effect without affectingdischarging of the liquid from the nozzles 31.

In another example, and as shown in FIG. 7, the length of the tube 5(the length of the gas blowing region) was set substantially equal tothe size of the substrate 1 in the minor side direction Y. The head 2was disposed on the closed end side of the tube 5. Therefore, when thehead 2 was positioned in the last region of the substrate 1 (representedby two-dot-chain lines), the gas was blown out from the tube 5substantially to the whole part of the substrate 1 in the minor sidedirection Y, and the regions in which the gas was not blown out from thetube 5 in the minor side direction Y of the substrate 1 existed at othertimes.

With the exception of the above-mentioned point, the droplets 4 werearranged in the whole region of the substrate 1 to form the thin film inthe same way as in Example 1.

As to the condition of the resultant thin film, phase separationoccurred locally in regions where the droplets had a late arrangementorder. The degree of this phase separation and the amount of the thinfilm having such phase separation were extremely small in comparisonwith the case where the droplets were arranged without blowing the gas.

As shown in FIG. 8, there is another example where the length of thetube 5 (the length of the gas blowout region) was set to about a half ofthe size of the substrate 1 in the minor side direction Y. The head 2was disposed at the center of the longitudinal direction of the tube 5.Therefore, the gas was blown to the region in which the droplets werebeing arranged at present, but the regions in which the gas was notblown from the tube 5 in the minor side direction Y of the substrate 1always existed.

With the exception of the points described above, the droplets 4 werearranged in the whole region of the substrate 1 in the same way as inExample 1 to form the thin film.

As to the condition of the resultant thin film, phase separation locallyoccurred in the regions having a late arrangement order. The degree ofthis phase separation and the amount of the thin film having such phaseseparation were extremely small in comparison with the case where thedroplets were arranged without blowing the gas, but were greater thanthose in the example of FIG. 7.

It could be understood from comparison of these examples that the inkjet apparatus for use in the method of the present invention hadsuitably a construction in which the length of the gas blowout region inthe longitudinal direction of the tube 5 is at least twice the size ofthe substrate (liquid discharged surface) 1 in the minor side directionY (the size in the longitudinal direction of the tube) and the ink jethead 2 was disposed at the center of the gas blowout region of the tube5 in the longitudinal direction.

As the third embodiment, an example of the application of the thin filmformation method by the ink jet method according to the presentinvention to a production method of an organic EL device will beexplained with reference to FIG. 9. This organic EL device is an organicEL display in which pixels are disposed in a 70.5 μm pitch.

First, an ITO electrode (anode) 62 was formed at each pixel position ona glass substrate 61. Next, ordinary photolithographic and etching stepswere conducted to form a barrier (bank) having a two-layered structureof a SiO2 layer 63 and a polyimide layer 64. A diameter of an opencircle of the bank of the SiO2 layer 63 was 28 μm and its height was 2μm. The diameter of the open circle at the uppermost part of the bank ofthe polyimide layer 64 was 32 μm.

Next, atmospheric plasma treatment was conducted to render the surfaceof the bank of the polyimide layer 64 liquid-repellent. This plasmatreatment was conducted under the condition of an atmospheric pressure,power of 300 W and a distance between the electrode and the substrate of1 mm. First, oxygen plasma treatment was conducted at an oxygen gas flowrate of 80 cmm, a helium gas flow rate of 10 SLM and a table conveyingspeed of 10 mm/sec. Next, CF4 plasma treatment was conducted at a CF4gas flow rate of 100 ccm, a helium gas flow rate of 10 SLM and a tableconveying speed of 5 mm/sec.

Next, a liquid 65 a containing materials for forming a positive holeinjection/transportation layer was disposed in the region (open part)encompassed by the bank having the two-layered structure. A mixedsolution having the following composition was used as the liquid.

Mixed solution of polyethylene dioxythiophene and polystyrenesulfonicacid: 11.08 wt % polyethylenesulfonic acid: 1.44 wt % isopropyl alcohol:10 wt % N-methylpyrrolidone: 27.48 wt % 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolydinone:50 wt %

The arrangement of the liquid by the ink jet method was conducted underthe condition of Example 2-1 by the method of the second embodiment.However, the blowout pressure of nitrogen was changed to 0.175 MPa. Thejet amount of the liquid to each open part was 15 p-liters. FIG. 9Ashows this state.

Next, the glass substrate 61 under this condition was heated at roomtemperature to 200° C. for 10 minutes in an atmosphere at 1 Torr to formthe positive hole injection/transportation layer 65 having a filmthickness of 60 nm on the ITO electrode 62. FIG. 9B shows this state.

Next, a liquid 66 a containing materials for forming a green color lightemitting layer was disposed by the ink jet method over the positive holeinjection/transportation layer 65. This liquid was the same as theliquid used in the first embodiment. The arrangement of this liquid wasconducted by the method of the second embodiment under the condition ofExample 2-1. However, the blowout pressure of nitrogen was changed to0.175 MPa. FIG. 9C shows this state.

Subsequently, the liquid was naturally dried under this condition toform a 100 nm-thick green color light-emitting layer 66 on the ITOelectrode 62. A cathode 67 was then formed. The cathode 67 could beprepared by vacuum depositing a 2 nm-thick LiF film and a 20 nm-thick Cafilm and forming then a 200 nm-thick Al film by sputtering. A seal layer68 made of an epoxy resin was formed on the cathode 67.

The organic EL display obtained by the method described above was drivenat various voltages and luminance was measured at each position insidethe surface of the glass substrate 61. As a result, substantially equalluminance could be obtained inside the substrate surface irrespective ofthe arrangement order of the droplets. Phase separation could not beobserved in the green light color emitting layer 66 in all the pixels.

For comparison, an organic EL display device was produced in exactly thesame way as described above with the exception that the liquid 65 a forforming the positive hole injection/transportation layer and the liquid65 a for forming the green color emitting layer were arranged by usingan ink jet apparatus not having the gas flow tube 5. This organic ELdevice was driven at various driving voltages and luminance was measuredat each position inside the surface of the glass substrate 61. As aresult, a difference of luminance was observed among the pixels due tothe difference of the arrangement order of the droplets. Also, phaseseparation was observed in the green color light emitting layer 66 ofseveral pixels.

FIG. 10 is a graph showing the examination result of the relationbetween the driving voltage and luminance of these organic EL displays.The curve labeled “a” in this graph represents the result of the organicEL display obtained by the method of the third embodiment and curve brepresents the result of the organic EL display obtained by the methodof comparative example. Incidentally, luminance represented by bothcurves was measured for the pixels at the same positions on thesubstrate.

It could be understood from this graph that the organic EL deviceobtained by the method of the third embodiment had higher luminance atthe same driving voltage.

As explained above, the method of the third embodiment can form theorganic EL display having high uniformity among, and inside, the pixelsand moreover having high luminance of each pixel.

Incidentally, in the ink jet apparatus according to the secondembodiment, the gas flow tube 5 is fixed on only the rear side of therelative traveling direction X2 of the ink jet head 2. However, the gasflow tubes 5 may well be disposed on both front and rear sides of therelative traveling direction X2 of the ink jet head 2 as shown in FIG.11. This construction can remove the solvent vapor more strongly thanwhen the gas flow tube 5 is disposed on only the rear side.

In the ink jet apparatus according to the second embodiment,introduction of the gas to the gas flow tube 5 is made from the end partof the tube 5. As shown in FIG. 12, however, it is possible to connect agas introduction tube 52 extending upward to the center of the gas flowtube 5 in its longitudinal direction, and to introduce the gas from thistube 52 into the tube 5. This construction can feed more easily the gasup to both ends of the tube 5 than when the gas is introduced from theend part of the tube 5.

FIG. 13 shows in enlargement the portion of the gas blowout holes 51 ofthe gas flow tube 5 shown in FIG. 12. As shown in this drawing, the gasblowout holes 51 may be disposed in two rows, or three or more rows.When the gas flow tube 5 has a plurality of rows of gas blowout holes51, the blowout angle θ has a width when the tube 5 is fixed to the inkjet head 2. In consequence, the solvent vapor can be simultaneouslyremoved in a broader range. In this case, the range of the gas blowoutangle θ of a plurality of rows of gas blowout holes 51 is preferablyfrom 30° to 60°.

The film formation by the ink jet method is conducted in some casesinside a sealed space such as a gloved box. When the removal of thesolvent vapor is conducted by blowing the gas to the substrate surfaceinside the sealed space, the removing operation must be conducted whilethe blowout gas is being sucked. This suction must be conducted in sucha fashion that the gas blown does not flow towards the ink jet head.Therefore, the suction port is disposed on the substrate side but not onthe ink jet head side of the sealed space.

The method and the apparatus according to the present invention aresuitable as a method of forming the thin film constituting the organicEL device and an apparatus for the method, as illustrated in the thirdembodiment, and are also suitable as a method and an apparatus forforming a thin film for constituting a color filter.

When the color filter thin film for use in a liquid crystal panel, etc,is formed by the ink jet method, a color filter forming material and aliquid containing a solvent are discharged from an ink jet head into aregion encompassed by a bank on the substrate. In this instance, thesolvent evaporating from the droplets arranged on the substrate arelikely to dew on the bank. Here, since color filter thin films ofdifferent colors are generally formed in adjacent regions, dewing islikely to result in color mixing.

In this case, when the droplets are arranged by the method of thepresent invention, discharging of the liquid is conducted in theatmosphere having a low partial pressure of the solvent vapor even at aposition having a late arrangement order, dewing described above can beprevented.

As described above, in the film formation method by the ink jet method,the method of the present invention can obtain a thin film having highuniformity inside the substrate surface even when the solvent of theliquid to be discharged is a solvent having a large density.

The ink jet apparatus according to the present invention can executeeasily and effectively the method of the present invention.

The production method of the organic EL device according to the presentinvention can obtain an organic EL device having high uniformity ofluminance inside the substrate surface.

The organic EL device according to the present invention has highuniformity of luminance inside the substrate surface.

1. A method of forming a thin film using an ink jet head, comprising:discharging liquid droplets containing a thin-film-forming material anda solvent from a liquid discharge port of the ink jet head to positionson a substrate while the liquid discharge port is being moved relativelyto said substrate; forcibly removing a solvent vapor evaporating from adroplet arranged previously on the substrate by a solvent vapor removaldevice prior to completing droplet arrangement on the entire substrate,said solvent vapor removal device forcibly removing said solvent vaporby blowing gas on the substrate and simultaneously removing said solventvapor through suction; and discharging liquid droplets in an atmospherehaving a low partial pressure of the solvent vapor, the low partialpressure of the solvent vapor being low enough to allow a drying rate oflater arranged liquid droplets to be about equal to or greater than adrying rate of earlier arranged liquid droplets.
 2. The method offorming a thin film using an ink jet head according to claim 1, whereinduring suction the gas flows away from the ink jet head.
 3. The methodof forming a thin film using an ink jet head according to claim 1,wherein the gas is blown at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees to a directionperpendicular to a movement direction of the ink jet head.
 4. A methodof producing an organic electroluminescence device, comprising:discharging liquid droplets containing the organic electroluminescencematerial and a solvent from a liquid discharge port of the ink jet headto positions on a substrate while the liquid discharge port is beingmoved relatively to said substrate; forcibly removing a solvent vaporevaporating from a droplet arranged previously on the substrate by asolvent vapor removal device prior to completing droplet arrangement onthe entire substrate, said solvent vapor removal device forciblyremoving said solvent vapor by blowing gas on the substrate andsimultaneously removing said solvent vapor through suction; anddischarging liquid droplets in an atmosphere having a low partialpressure of the solvent vapor, the low partial pressure of the solventvapor being low enough to allow a drying rate of later arranged liquiddroplets to be about equal to or greater than a drying rate of earlierarranged liquid droplets.
 5. The method of producing an organicelectroluminescence device according to claim 4, wherein during suctionthe gas flows away from the ink jet head.
 6. The method of producing anorganic electroluminescence device according to claim 4, wherein the gasis blown at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees to a direction perpendicular toa movement direction of the ink jet head.
 7. A method of forming anorganic electroluminescence device, comprising: forming a firstelectrode; discharging liquid droplets containing the organicelectroluminescence material and a solvent for a color light emittinglayer, above the first electrode, from a nozzle arranged at an ink jethead; forcibly removing a solvent vapor evaporating from a dropletarranged previously on the substrate by a solvent vapor removal deviceprior to completing droplet arrangement on the entire substrate, saidsolvent vapor removal device forcibly removing said solvent vapor byblowing gas on the substrate and simultaneously removing said solventvapor through suction; discharging liquid droplets in an atmospherehaving a low partial pressure of the solvent vapor, the low partialpressure of the solvent vapor being low enough to allow a drying rate oflater arranged liquid droplets to be about equal to or greater than adrying rate of earlier arranged liquid droplets; and forming a secondelectrode.
 8. The method of forming an organic electroluminescencedevice according to claim 7, wherein during suction the gas flows awayfrom the ink jet head.
 9. The method of forming an organicelectroluminescence device according to claim 7, wherein the gas isblown at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees to a direction perpendicular to amovement direction of the ink jet head.
 10. A method of forming anorganic electroluminescence device, comprising: forming a firstelectrode; forming a bank; discharging liquid droplets containing theorganic electroluminescence material and a solvent for a color lightemitting layer, at a region encompassed by the bank, from a nozzlearranged at an ink jet head; forcibly removing a solvent vaporevaporating from a droplet arranged previously on the substrate by asolvent vapor removal device prior to completing droplet arrangement onthe entire substrate, said solvent vapor removal device forciblyremoving said solvent vapor by blowing gas on the substrate andsimultaneously removing said solvent vapor through suction; dischargingliquid droplets in an atmosphere having a low partial pressure of thesolvent vapor, the low partial pressure of the solvent vapor being lowenough to allow a drying rate of later arranged liquid droplets to beabout equal to or greater than a drying rate of earlier arranged liquiddroplets; and forming a second electrode.
 11. The method of forming anorganic electroluminescence device according to claim 10, wherein duringsuction the gas flows away from the ink jet head.
 12. The method offorming an organic electroluminescence device according to claim 10,wherein the gas is blown at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees to a directionperpendicular to a movement direction of the ink jet head.
 13. A methodof forming an organic electroluminescence device, comprising: forming afirst electrode; forming a bank; discharging a first liquid dropletscontaining a hole injection-transportation layer material and asolvent-, at a region encompassed by the bank, from a nozzle arranged atan ink jet head; forcibly removing a solvent vapor evaporating from adroplet of the first liquid droplets arranged previously on thesubstrate by a solvent vapor removal device prior to completing dropletarrangement on the entire substrate, said solvent vapor removal deviceforcibly removing said solvent vapor by blowing gas on the substrate andsimultaneously removing said solvent vapor through suction; dischargingliquid droplets in an atmosphere having a low partial pressure of thesolvent vapor, the low partial pressure of the solvent vapor being lowenough to allow a drying rate of later arranged liquid droplets to beabout equal to or greater than a drying rate of earlier arranged liquiddroplets; discharging a second liquid droplets containing the organicelectroluminescence material and a solvent for a color light emittinglayer, at a region encompassed by the bank, from a nozzle arranged at anink jet head; forcibly removing a solvent vapor evaporating from adroplet of the second liquid droplets arranged previously on thesubstrate by a solvent vapor removal device prior to completing dropletarrangement on the entire substrate; discharging liquid droplets in anatmosphere having a low partial pressure of the solvent vapor, the lowpartial pressure of the solvent vapor being low enough to allow a dryingrate of later arranged liquid droplets to be about equal to or greaterthan a drying rate of earlier arranged liquid droplets; and forming asecond electrode.
 14. The method of forming an organicelectroluminescence device according to claim 13, wherein during suctionthe gas flows away from the ink jet head.
 15. The method of forming anorganic electroluminescence device according to claim 13, wherein thegas is blown at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees to a directionperpendicular to a movement direction of the ink jet head.